Is Medicare Plan F going away? Yes, but only for new Medicare enrollees starting on January 1st, 2020. People eligible for Medicare prior to 2020 will continue to have Plan C and Plan F options in the future.
If you are on Plan F already when 2020 rolls around, you won’t be kicked off your coverage. You will continue to be able to purchase Plan F policies from other insurance carriers after 2020. However, in most cases, you would have to be medically underwritten and may be denied through underwriting to switch to a different insurance carrier.
If you are eligible for Medicare prior to 2020, but delayed enrolling in Medicare because you were still covered under employer coverage, you still have the option to purchase Medicare Supplement Plan C or F.
Why are Plan F and Plan C going to be discontinued for newly eligible Medicare enrollees in 2020?
In 2015, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. Part of this legislation does not allow Medigap policies to pay for the Part B deductible to a newly eligible Medicare beneficiary on or after January 1st, 2020. In 2018, the annual Part B deductible is $183. Plan C and Plan F both pay for this deductible, therefore, they will no longer be available to new beneficiaries.